


I don't wanna miss a thing

by who_let_the_deans_out_doctor_who



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parallel Universes, Then It All Goes To Hell, apart from the main pairing other characters are there just for a moment, i'll add tags as the plot goes, maybe a slow burn haven't decided yet, we'll see how it flows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:53:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23618575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_let_the_deans_out_doctor_who/pseuds/who_let_the_deans_out_doctor_who
Summary: In short:Fourth great Ninja warJuubi!Madara uses a jutsu to warp Gaara and Lee to a modern world.Or: the one where Gaara finds in himself skills and values other then being a Kazekage and caring just for his village and others. Lee gets the recognition he deserves and is given maybe more than he wishes for.
Relationships: Gaara/Rock Lee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	I don't wanna miss a thing

**Author's Note:**

> I am back, hopefully! I swear I don't want to post every year like this is some birthday card, but I didn't have anything good to come out of my shell with. I'm going to seriously work on my writing skills, because I'm full of ideas, but never know how to execute them. And I want to get into filming short movies, so I need to better my vocabulary and grammar and get those ideas out, so what is a better way than writing a fanfiction, yay!

“It’s time for the Red Beast to emerge!” Those words sent a pang of pain through Lee’s heart. He knew what it meant immediately. His sensei was going to open his last gate to save him and all the shinobi who were also on the battlefield.

Lee gasped, shock of image of Gai’s immense power and then the world without him invaded his mind. He did not want to lose him. Still, he knew his teacher and him were alike in many things, after-all, Lee learned everything from Gai. If he would've had a chance to defeat Madara and save the world, he’d do it without thinking.

“Gai! Don’t do it! Think it over! Not one person here wants you to do it! Not even your father!” Minato shouted. Lee frowned, even though he knew Minato meant it well.

“No, but I want to do it.”

“Gai-Sensei! Do you think it’s the time for that?”

Gai turned to Lee with a smile and the caring look on his face left Lee speechless.

“Lee, don’t look at me like that.” Gai opened up his jounin vest. “You sit back and enjoy the show!”

Those words reminded Lee of the moment when he first talked with Gai about his goals as a shinobi. Gai said he’ll watch Lee become the best taijutsu ninja and that he’ll then watch “the show”. He meant by those words seeing himself the fruition of Lee’s hard work and his own guidance. Lee’s eyes filled with tears, the same amount as when he swore to become a fine shinobi that his teacher was. And now he was hopeless to show him he succeeded, because he didn’t, not yet.

Maito Gai gave Lee thumbs up and smile accompanied by a wink, like in the past. It was their signature move, their good guy promise. It soothed at least the worst ache in Lee’s heart.

It was clear to Lee he’s not sharp when it comes to strategy. Still, he had basic logical thinking. He knew without Gai sacrificing his life, they didn’t have any advantage and had zero chance of winning. Kakashi and Gaara were strong, but their chakra was running low after battling for so long. Minato, even if his resurrected body was unbeatable, had no arms to fight with and couldn’t make any jutsu.

Lee wished Neji and Tenten were here. They, as a team, worked well together. Team Gai went through a lot and there were many times when they butted heads. Yet, their experiences made their connection stronger. Their teamwork was one of the best from all the Leaf Village.

Now he had to watch his Sensei go. Alone. His whole team was broken from that moment on.

His teacher always taught him to be brave. Lee was many things, but a coward wasn’t one of them, so he watched with attention Gai’s last fight. Though his cheeks stung from the salty tears and his vision clouded the scene.

He cheered for him when the first step of the evening elephant showed Madara the immense strength of a taijutsu master.

Gai stopped the supposedly continuous attack. Lee understood why, he’s seen it on his Sensei’s face. It had to be because of an unbearable pain. Lee’s chest hurt again, the thought of Gai suffering was too much for him to do nothing.

He heard Kakashi explain the eight inner gates formation to Gaara. Lee felt eyes on his back.

“Lee are you- “Gaara’s voice sounded from behind him and interrupted him from saying if he’s okay.

“I am not sad! It would be an insult to my sensei’s decision!” Lee yelled, a new determination glowing in his eyes. He truly believed in Maito Gai.

Still, Lee had to help somehow. Then Minato proposed they’d try to get rid of the black spheres.

“Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Joy, open!” Minato appeared surprised another shinobi had mastered the self-sacrificial technique. Lee confessed he could only do two gates short from the strongest one and cursed his lack of ability again.

“No, it’s enough, Lee. You’re still one of the fresh leaves Gai wants to protect.”

They made their plan work by sending the spheres upon Minato in the Kamui dimension. Afterward, Gai could finish his Sekizo steps.

All they saw was an explosion of air and dust.

“Gai-Sensei!” Lee tried to see through the smoke. When the air blew it all away, he saw Madara standing up.

“So even that didn’t work!?” Gaara exclaimed.

Gai changed his stance to a position unknown to Lee. Madara too looked like he was surprised by Gai’s actions and appeared more cautious with his moves.

“Last attack, huh? Then let’s make sure we’re uninterrupted like the last time! I have an idea how!” Lee heard Madara retort and saw him disappear.

“Huh? Where did he go?! I’m not done yet!” Gai cried out, his body frozen due to gathering all his chakra into muscles.

Lee looked at Kakashi who was trying to recover from the overuse of his Sharingan. Someone jumped in front of Lee. It happened so fast that even with his trained senses, Lee couldn't act quickly enough to countermove.

“Lee, move!” Kakashi screamed.

“Thanks to Obito I can all send you to hell!” Madara folded his fingers in an unknown hand-sign and a black smoke appeared. It enveloped Lee without giving him a chance to escape.

“Lee!” He felt someone grab his arm and then everything went to blackness.

-

Gaara outstretched his hand before thinking. He had to save Lee; the boy had been through too much already. He felt the ominous amount of chakra surround the two of them. Gaara tried to summon his sand quickly enough to carry them away from danger. He held tight to the bulky biceps, held his breath, shut his eyes, and awaited the worst.

-

When Gaara opens his eyes, everything around him is green and he hears birds singing. Madara had to send them in a forest, it seems. Gaara looks upwards. There is a light peeking through the tree trunks. It was night when they fought Madara. Did he pass out in the fog?

‘It is unlikely', Gaara knows how transportation jutsu feels like.

‘Then how it could be morning already’, he thinks, judging by the height of the sun and the fresh sensation of condensation on the grass he’s laying on.

He sits up and looks around. Next to him, in a vast, unkempt patch of grass is Lee, appearing to be out of consciousness. Gaara checks his pulse to find it steady. He sighs in relief.

Lee hums and swats Gaara’s hand away.

“Just five more minutes Gai-Sensei…” A light snore comes out of Lee’s mouth. Gaara chuckles, ‘Rock Lee is a fun sight when he’s asleep’.

“Lee.” Under the black curtain of a bowl-cut, wide eyes open and stare at the redhead next to him.

“Gaara…-san? What are you doing here?” Lee looks around and his brows furrow into one entity. “What am I doing here?! Weren’t we battling Madara? Where is Gai-Sensei?”

“Calm down. What is the last thing you remember?” Gaara’s voice sounds that of the Kazekage of the Sand Village now. Lee tries to focus for a moment and give a coherent enough answer. His lips purse in thought. Gaara finds it endearing and somewhat cute. He never thinks that about anyone and is unsure if the concept fits on Lee. After a solid minute, Lee holds up his finger.

“Minato told me to protect you. You floated your sand to get Kakashi-sensei near Madara and we got rid of the black spheres. And then ...I think Madara came in front of me…” Lee’s voice goes quieter and quieter every word he says. “and then there was this black smoke.” He frowns and his hand now moves to scratch on his head.

Lee snaps his fingers and Gaara jumps a little from the unexpectedness.

“Maybe it was some kind of drug and now we’re hallucinating!” Lee punches the grass in victory and Gaara feels sorry for it.

“I don’t think so, this doesn’t seem to be an illusion. When the smoke reached us, I felt the same way when I use sand to teleport myself. He must have moved us somewhere far, because I can’t sense any chakra, so we’re alone here.” Gaara frowns and touches the ground. “I can’t feel my chakra. I can’t control the sand anymore.” Gaara looks at his hand, a puzzled expression on his face. Lee gasps and his hands tear at the green strands.

“I don’t understand, how can he be so strong?! Removing us like we’re nothing from the battlefield AND stealing our abilities!” Lee realizes he raised his voice too much and takes a deep breath. “I hope Gai-Sensei showed him hard work beats stolen power.” Tears threaten to spill again, so Lee rubs his eyelids to stop them. He can’t be sad his Sensei gave his life to protect them!

Gaara touches Lee’s shoulder, trying to comfort his grieving comrade. He thinks it’s for the better Lee doesn’t see his fatherly figure die.

“Anyways, where do you think we are?” Lee wipes his nose on his filthy bandages and stands up. “I don’t recognize this place, but the landscape here is beautiful!” Gaara follows Lee and rises on his shaky legs.

“I don’t think this is the time to admire the scenery.” Gaara deadpans and Lee looks at him, disappointment clear on his face.

Gaara looks around to find any clue that could hint them their position. Nothing except trees and bushes surrounds them. There is a clearance on their right side with a view on hills. The same oak trees cover them and the background adorns a sapphire blue sky.

“I think we’re somewhere in the Land of Fire. Only there are these big forests and hills. It means, we can still return to aid our friends. But, this doesn’t explain why there was a time shift. I guess it’s what Ten-Tails Madara jutsu does.” Lee nods without making a sound and follows Gaara where the Kazekage walks.

They head to the opening and jump down the small cliff. Gaara’s legs ache suddenly and he stumbles. Lee has his arms on him the instant and centers Gaara, having no problem with moving his body so fast.

The redhead remembers he can’t use his chakra to coordinate his body so well and then curses his lack of training. Only in his mind, of course. He would never show his weakness to anyone if he can help it.

And, well, Lee is the master of body movement and a healthy lifestyle. Gaara is having five coffees a day on his best days and his meals aren’t exactly regular. Not to say anything about his sleeping schedule, because it’s almost non-existent.

He should ask Lee for some tips on how to care for his body when the war is over.

“Are you alright?” Lee’s fingers twitch on Gaara’s shoulders.

“Yeah, I’m just… a little dizzy. Do you have any water on you?” Gaara’s vision blurs around the edges and he has a problem to concentrate on his surroundings. He feels a cold droplet of sweat glide on his back and shudders at the discomfort it causes.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything. A few food pills and weapons, but that’s about it. We have to find some source of water, or we won’t last long, I’m so thirsty.” Lee fans himself. Gaara frowns, he doesn’t understand how Lee can be hot when he almost freezes to death when only a breeze blows on him. He feels like he's naked without the sand-armor.

“Alright, I’ll use my third eye jutsu-” Gaara stops mid-sentence, realizing that he can’t use his spying jutsu. He takes a long look at the taijutsu specialist. Lee appears to be busy cooling himself by sticking his finger behind the collar of the green suit and waving the stretchy fabric away from his body. ‘How can Lee manage without jutsu, I'm completely useless right now’, Gaara thinks.

“We have to do it the old-fashioned way, my Lord Kazekage! Fortunately, I know how to survive in the woods without anything on me, thanks to my good sensei’s training!” Lee looks around, his wide eyes almost unblinking. “Aha!” Lee grins and points at the ground near Gaara’s feet.

There’s a big patch of moss.

Gaara looks at it and sees nothing interesting, or to be exact, nothing he thinks is interesting. He raises his head and crosses his arms in his signature pose. “Care to explain?” Gaara’s hairless brow twitches upwards.

“Where is vegetation, there is water! Look, it’s leading this way, here is more of it!” Lee bounces like a child after eating too much candy and Gaara follows him.

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a comment? It's what's keeping me going with this, the feedback and even the criticism, it's necessary for me to grow as a writer :3  
> edit: I edited the worst mistakes out of it, but I still need a beta or more time to study the tenses, because I just don't get them lmao


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